Climbing Mountains!

The next National Geographic Magazine issue is February, 1930.  The first article is authored by Mr. Joseph F. Rock, "Seeking the Mountains of Mystery: An Expedition on the China-Tibet Frontier to the Unexplored Amnyi Machen Range, one of Whose Peaks Rival Everest."

This is a new adventure in a new place for me!  The mountain named "Amnyi Machen is 28,000 feet tall, and had never been explored.  There, Mr. Rock "found countless wild animals still unafraid of man, peaceful as in Eden.  Then deep, tree lined chasms roared the upper reaches of the mighty Yellow River, flowing here at an elevation of 10,000 feet above the sea!". . ."And time turns back a thousand years when one talks to the superstitious and vexatiously inquisitive, suspicious folk who inhabit this lonely nook of the world" (p. 131). 

Amnyi Machen mountain, the highest in the Anmyi Machen mountain range, is sacred to the monks and tribes of the region.  They believe it is the original home of the original Buddha, their leader.

To further pinpoint this location: In 1930, Tibet was north of India, bordered by China on the east, and Sinkiang (now the Peoples Republic of China) on the north and west.  Tibet is now a region in the Peoples Republic of China.

From Choni, in western China, Mr. Rock traveled west to Tibet.  He was on a botanical and ornithological expedition for Harvard University, U.S.A.  "As coined money is unknown in this part of the world, we carried much lump silver" (p. 144), and other things for use in barter.

In recent months, I have read about some of the native Pacific Islanders, cannibals, and East Africans, primitive and territorial, but have never read or heard of such warlike bands of thieves and, frankly, cutthroat murderers, such as existed in 1930 in Tibet!  This region also reached a new low in the level of filth, as far as I am concerned.  I salute Mr. Rock and his team for enduring this journey on both points.

How did they even manage to survive?  The religious Buddhist monks gave them letters of introduction, and sold them whatever supplies they needed for various parts of their trip.  "Dressed in gray felt raincoats, well armed, and escorted by a cavalry guard, we made an imposing party as we marched out of the gates of Choni.  We used yak carts to haul our supplies as far as the old town of Taochow.  From there to Labrang 34 mules carried our loads" (p. 145).  At Radja, "I called on the local Buddha, of course.  Without the aid of these holy men, no intruder from the outside world could last long among these fanatics" (p. 159).

FYI: In the East, a religious monk is called a lama.  Their leader is thought to be a reincarnation of Buddha.  The local Buddhas are very wealthy, by any standards.  Lamas live in monasteries called lamaseries.

There were more than 5,000 monks in the compound in Labrang.  "Five giant kettles, each six feet in diameter, equip a monster kitchen.  Here food sufficient to feed 4,000 lamas can be boiled at one time.  It usually consists of butter tea or rice gruel" (p. 145).  What a holy army!

Mr. Rock and his team hired native guides, an interpreter, and animal handlers.  Along all the routes, "robber tribes" were always watching.  Every night, sentries kept guard.  Also interested in the expedition were packs of wolves on the peaks of the mountains.  Even though the party started in June, snow and wind were additional dangers to their survival.

Mr. Rock, as leader, knew he would have to get on good terms with the Tibetan leaders of the lamas, and of the native tribes, all nomads.  This involved a Tibetan Tea Party.  "It was our policy always in this land, where travelers are regarded with suspicion, to make friends as we went . . .I shrank from either tea or food, but I could not offend" (p. 152).

To even get near the holy mountain, Amnyi Machen, they had to deal with the fierce and highly-feared Ngolok tribe.  When they were at a nearby lamasery, one day away from the mountain, Mr. Rock sent a letter to the Ngolok chief.  The expedition knew it would take several weeks to get an answer so they explored the closest mountains and valleys.  When they returned to the lamasery, "Neither the escorts nor the yaks we had bargained for were ready.  In fact, we were bluntly told nobody would go with us.  A warning had came from the wild Ngoloks that no one should aid us to get into their country, and the people were afraid" (p. 166).

To continue the saga, "In despair, I threatened the lamasery people.  Unless we were immediately provided with escort and animals, I would ask the aid of the Sining Moslems, whom they so much feared.  This brought the lama council quickly to time". . . "To be able to move quickly in case of attack, we decided to use horses and take an irreducible minimum of food, tents, and clothes" (p. 166-167).

"The lamas, of course, could not guarantee our safety". . .The chief (of the Ngoloks) had already sworn that if ever we should come anywhere near his encampment it would be the end of us". . ."He also said if we did not stay too long at the Amnyi Machen there would probably be no danger" (p. 170).

Mr. Rock and his group were rewarded beyond their expectations.  "The whole region between the Yellow River and Amnyi Machen is one great zoological garden.  Wherever I looked I saw wild animals grazing contentedly.  There were various deer, wapiti, and many other animals unknown to me" (p. 172).

"Before us lay, in all its whiteness and purity, the glory of Amnyi Machen.  Not a cloud was in the sky.  We could photograph to our heart's content. . .Below us, in the valley, camped the Ngoloks, apparently unaware of our presence" (p. 174).  "I shouted for joy as I beheld the majestic peaks of one of the grandest mountain ranges of all Asia.  We stood at an elevation of nearly 16,000 feet, yet in the distance rose still higher peaks - yet another 12,000 feet of snow and ice!" (p. 185).

Mr. Rock concludes his chronicle, "With difficulty I tore myself from that sublime view. . .which no other foreigners had ever had.   I remained for some time alone on that isolated summit, lost in reverie and easily comprehending why the Tibetans should worship these snowy peaks as emblems of purity" (p. 185).


Amnyi means "old man" and corresponds to our "saint."  Ma means "peacock" and chen means "great."

Personally, I appreciate the opportunity to learn more about lives so radically different from my own, and praise the Lord for my easy life!  I look forward to further developments in the China-Tibet region, as will be detailed in the pages of National Geographic Magazine.